Cuba trip

[Alaskabear]

Hi guys! I will be heading down to Cuba again for the month of October. Half of the trip I will be solo and free to have some fun. I doubt I will be able to update while I am down there as internet is difficult, but I have already made some great contacts on planet romeo so far. A lot of the guys on there are just looking for fun instead of trade. Nonetheless I hope to give a full report sometime after the trip is over. Also as a bonus I will be in Mexico City for a few days on either end and I hope to have some fun there as well. If anyone has any tips I would be happy to have them.

Cheers!

[JAYBLK]

Tip#1 Assume that the guys looking for fun want trade too. A great salary in Cuba is USD$60/month. The average is closer to $20. Cubans on gayromeo have unusual access to the Internet which doesn't come cheaply. Using that access to find foreigners is usually about looking for money to handle day to day needs or looking for a sponsor to leave the country.

Tip#2 Cuba is less safe today than it once was, in terms of violent crime. Still, it is far safer than anywhere else in Latin America. Be careful but not paranoid.

Tip #3 The competition for the time and attention of tourists is fierce at the gathering places like Copelia and outside the Capitolio. Be clear and firm about who you like and don't like. Don't let a guy mark you as his and deter approaches from others until you have decided that is what you want.

Tip #4 If you don't speak Spanish, pay and English speaker to be your guide. Generally better to choose a guide with whom you are not engaging in physical fun to keep them clear that their pathway to a payday lies in your enjoying yourself with others. Your guide may even get a finders fee from the boys. Pay your guide well and your trip will be 100% better than it might have been. planetromeo might be a good way to find a guide.

Tip #5 In most places, the guys who work at this tend to be uneducated, unskilled and with few other options. In Cuba, you occasionally meet a medical student or an engineer in the trade. They tend to be more discreet, more interesting, more fun and safer.

[Alaskabear]

JAYBLK, Thank you so much for a great response. This will be my second trip there and I am getting the feeling that it feels a bit more aggressive online with guys. I will be curious what it will be like on La Rampa, etc.

I totally agree with your assessment of the financial situation down there. Its simply a different reality than up here in the states. That being said, some guys you meet online are fiercely protective of their imagine not being that of a money boy. When I am in countries that are poor like Cuba, I feel it is always a good rule of thumb to provide for all of the days adventures with your guy even if it isn't a "money boy" situation. And in no way do I feel that I am "winning" by not paying for a guy ( not that you were insinuating that at all).

And another thing I am finding that you are so correct on is the educated trade down there. I've been talking to several guys who are 3-4-5 years into university who are looking for some extra help. These guys generally speak decent english and like you said, a lot more interesting to talk with.

All in all, I can sense that things are changing down there from my last trip. I'm noticing a lot more smart phones in pics and a general internet savvy that wasn't there before. I'm certainly hoping that the food situation has improved.

Thanks for the heads up with safety. My ultimate biggest concern is having so much cash on hand for the month I will be there. Not having access to the banking system is a drag. Any tips with carrying large loads of cash? It would be really nice to open a short time safety deposit box in the cadeca. I will be staying at a casa with a doorman that requires ID entry so that will help a lot.

[JAYBLK]

Keep a careful watch on the news. Now that the embassy is open, the credit card situation is right around the corner. MasterCard has declared that they will be first and rumor has it that the White House is about to give US banks the cover they need to dip their toes in that water. A friend tried a MasterCard debit card there last week that did work. But, one day soon, they will. Meanwhile, forget the cadeca. Just take cash. As the prices are so reasonable, I sometimes have both a hotel room (air conditioning) AND a casa particular nearby. Keeping the bulk of my cash in the hotel room has never been a problem. ( Remember that the person cleaning your hotel room likely has a college degree too as your tips, no matter how stingy, means that her income is triple or more what it would be were she a teacher)

[firecat691614502759]

Really hope someone posts photos of their trip and boys.!!